Is there anything we can do?
Ok TN members, time to pick your brains and do something good for the cause of nudism:
What can we as True Nudists do to help mainstream America understand that nudism is NOT to be feared; that it is not some perverted fetish; that it is NOT something dirty and that it is NOT about sex?
Let's hear it from all you True Nudists
ok, but if we as nudists tonk start talking about it to them, how will we know if the're gonna be willing to listen or not?
As you can see by the group photo, I wear a shirt all about the Salt Lake City valley that simple says "Nudism is NOT about sex" on the front and on the back it says :DEAL WITH IT!". I'm at about 60/40 positive comments about it.
This is "My" way to wake up these Mormons to start thinking and maybe talking about it.
I feel most of people love to be nude....but many feel shy to be open before others. So, it can be a step by step approach where first step will be accepting the self......where one can discuss how it impacts or improves individual life quality if one is free and easy wit his/her own nude body.
Sadly, the idea that nudism is not about sex has been attacked on several different fronts:1. Religious: Generally speaking, most religions do not accept nudism as a valid lifestyle or option. I believe that this is at least in part due to the two listed below, but it is also based on scriptural texts that at least at first glance seem to speak against social nudism.2. Pornographic: The whole sex industry has been notorious for promoting the idea that nudism = sex. In my opinion, this is the worst enemy that true nudists have to contend with.3. Society in general: Most cultures (with a few exceptions) see nude as lewd.In my opinion, women are the most negatively affected by the idea that nude=lewd since even breasts are taboo in most cultures and situations. I always find it somewhat humorous (and sad) to see little girls who look no different than little boys with their bikini tops covering their flat boy-like chests, as if somehow just being female made their chests sexual. I guess I have more questions than answers....but I would welcome your comments on what I wrote above.
Comments, hm? I guess u are not really seeking any more questions, then? :D
Questions... well, here they go: For real, most cultures? Are u sure the nude=porno cultures have become the majority in the world? When did breasts become sexual in most cultures? Has Africa now joined in on that taboo?
Comments, for whatever they're worth: Lust and orgy are as old as mankind. Now, societies in the world have become wealthier than they used to be. As they become wealthy in the textile industries, I guess maybe covering up becomes more mandatory. It used to be that being too poor for clothed societies meant no chance of following the textile restrictions (or "avoiding the flash") all day every day, 24/7 (unlike wealthy, "religious" societies). I figured that even today at least half the world's cultures were based on that, not "turned upside down" into utter prudishness... :/I feel most of people love to be nude....but many feel shy to be open before others. So, it can be a step by step approach where first step will be accepting the self......where one can discuss how it impacts or improves individual life quality if one is free and easy with his/her own nude body.
I think I must agree.
Now I'm quite sure that the Christian Naturists (just like the group name) out there can find the link to YoungMelbFam's educational discovery very helpful:
https://dl.dropbox.com/u/83453411/Squeamish_Translating_-_Compiled_-_Matthew_Neal.pdf
Whenever 100% nudity (the Greek gumno/gymno) is in a neutral/positive context (not speak against nudity), it's censored such that no one would guess from the English that the Greek text ever said that! Any instance of "nude gymno" in a negative light (shameful and/or pornoscript) would be censored if the translators wanted, but they didn't bother. I suppose that a negative light (shame, pornoscript) made nudity either obvious or easily enough unraveled to a mental picture by everyone -- that the translators were just as well to "tell it like it is."
So, some contexts are allegedly too innocent/holy to "defile" with the "N-word" (naked, nude), while others are unwholesome enough that the translators saw no point in censoring the nude gymno in the Greek text. Not that any of us knows for certain, but the pattern is so consistent it's eerie!
I don't know if it's what I've done or what I'm doing ... or if there really isn't a big deal with simple nudity and my neighbors. Try to keep what I'm saying in context. In EVERY situation and at every home we've owned ... I've exposed my neighbors to simple, non sexual nudity. I'm certain that most or all of our neighbors have seen me, us, our nudist friends at one point or another and either don't care or understand what it's about. I am naked all the time in our backyard. Our new neighbor's next door, I'm sure are aware. Our previous next door neighbor knew it and didn't make any thing about it. Our neighbors across the street with views of our garage and our side yards have certainly seen me and have not called the cops or made comments. I simply go about everyday life and normal living but ... I'm naked. I've walked through the garage with the door open to throw out the trash. I do stop at the door from the house to ensure no one is outside with a clear view when I pass through the garage but if they are in their homes looking out their windows ... they may see me and I'm certain they have but because I'm just doing what everyone else does but I do it naked ... I don't think they give it much thought or attention. I don't run and hide if seen. If I'm in a spot of our yard were I feel I'm out of view but then seen because my neighbor's on his roof or looking over the fence ... it only exposes them to simple, non sexual nudity then I feel I'm further exposing them to this simple, comfortable and natural way of life. I think if they were to say anything to me ... they'd feel as though they were "peeking" and that, I think, makes them feel worse than seeing me naked! :D
I dunno. As individuals, we can try to educate, but only a few of us are really good enough at communication to get people's attention and hold it for very long. I know I'm certainly not good enough at it. We really need the national organizations to step up their game in the mass education department. And I also think that some so called nudist websites are doing nudism more harm than good. For example, TrueNudist.com showed some forethought by creating a true swinger site to divert some swingers away from here. But swingers are the least of our problems. A much larger problem here are the voyeurs, exhibitionists, hookers, trolls, predators, and other individuals who don't give a rats ass about the cause of nudism. They're the ones the legitimate newbies see first when they come here looking for information about nudism. It's no wonder they're turned off by it before they have a chance to see nudism for what it is. It's really frustrating that so many people on this site are just completely clueless. Recently, in a post I made in another TN group, I mentioned that nudism is NOT about sex. And someone responded that was "just my opinion", but in the "opinion of others it IS about sex" and that "everyone is different". It made me wonder if that person even knew that Nudism is a well established philosophy with the *fundamental premise* of being non-sexual. I didn't go into detail with my response to their response but seems to me that if someone thinks it IS about sex, then they have it confused with a different -ism. Like maybe hedonism perhaps. But whatever it is, it's certainly not nudism.
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